Dissertation
An investigation of observable creative behaviors in the higher education workplace
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Drexel University
Aug 2018
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/D87H5N
Abstract
All organizations are constrained by budget and resources. Within these constraints, they also strive to maintain or enhance timeliness, quality and productivity. Ivy Plus universities are no exception. Through their applied creativity, administrative staff within these universities are key to navigating these challenges in ways that advance their institutions. This mixed methods study sought to identify specific on-the-job behaviors that support workplace creativity within Ivy Plus universities. The research questions were as follows: 1. What on-the-job behaviors are indicative of relevant creative performance among administrative staff? 2. How frequently do managers observe these behaviors in workplace activity among staff? 3. Is there a relationship between observable creative behaviors and workplace performance? Data was gathered using three rounds of surveys. The first survey gathered open ended and divergent observations of workplace creativity behaviors from a sample of training and organizational development professionals about observable creativity behaviors; thirteen behaviors emerged from this qualitative data. Next, training and organizational development professionals were asked to rate the importance of these behaviors on a 5-value Likert-type scale or to indicate they were not applicable to workplace creativity. Finally, a sample of staff managers identified by training and organizational development professional from within their university were asked to rate both the importance and frequency of these creative behaviors in the workplace. There was slight alignment among training and development professionals and staff managers on the importance of the identified creativity behaviors. However, there were differences between managers' ratings of importance and frequency. This confirms that training and organizational development professionals have identified common, relevant workplace behaviors related to creativity and that the relationship between the creative behaviors and workplace performance requires further research.
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Details
- Title
- An investigation of observable creative behaviors in the higher education workplace
- Creators
- Thomas P. Sontag - DU
- Contributors
- Fredricka K. Reisman (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- xii, 76 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- School of Education (1997-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 8174; 991014632717704721